I think DiFara bakes somewhere around 650°F to 700°F from what I've read. I'm also curious to see how a pie would turn out in your MBE that has received only a two or perhaps three hour proofing. I think that that might get you closer to the real deal in terms of DiFara.

Thanks, Bro.

Mike, I purposefully avoided the temp question b/c as you know the bake and temps in the MBE/LBE aren't really typical. If I measure the temp with a thermogun and aim it center of the stone, I would get one temp. If I move that spot 1" closer or further away from center (or further away from the rear heat source) I might get a very different temp. Having said that, this bake was done with a hearth temp of ~550F and the pies baked around 4-5m. It's impossible for me to bake a pie for 8min in the MBE at these temps. The crust would be burnt to a crisp.

For this particular bake, I was "inspired" to stylize these pies at the last moment and used a few of my doughballs I had fermenting already. I'm a big fan of same day 6-8h "emergency" doughs. Since, I haven't made any 2-3h doughs in a long time, this would be a great time to revisit them. I'll do it soon and post the results in Peter's reverse engineering difara's pizza thread as to not further derail this one. I'll also work off of one of Peter's recipe so I can get a closer to authentic result.

One reason I am posting this is I never got to try any of Dom's pizzas. Another reason why I am posting the article is what Dom does, and what different people say about his pizzas always interest me.

I had a couple stop at market this past Tuesday and they told me they drove 1 ˝ hrs. one way to try my pizzas. We talked awhile about different pizzerias they have visited. They have 100 pizzerias on their list to try. They already have tried a lot. I asked the couple which were the best pizzas they have ever tried. Their top three were Di Fari, the old De Lorenzo's on Hudson in Trenton and New Haven pizza in Conn. The couple decided to come try my pizzas after reading Pizza Quixote's reviews.

There are a couple of interesting things I noted in the article you referenced. The first is a statement under one of the photos that the oven is kept "between nine hundred and a thousand degrees, because the pizza’s not supposed to be in the oven for more than five minutes". The other is what appears to be something yellow in the mixer bowl in another photo. Dom once told me that there was no oil in the dough but he did use fresh yeast. However, most fresh yeast I have seen is not as yellow as shown in the mixer bowl. Actually, it is more tan-like in color. Maybe Don is now using a dry yeast and possibly prehydrating it, or maybe he is now using some oil in the dough.

There are a couple of interesting things I noted in the article you referenced. The first is a statement under one of the photos that the oven is kept "between nine hundred and a thousand degrees, because the pizza’s not supposed to be in the oven for more than five minutes".

Do you think he really believes his oven is that hot?

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"We make great pizza, with sourdough when we can, commercial yeast when we must, but always great pizza." Craig's Neapolitan Garage

There are a couple of interesting things I noted in the article you referenced. The first is a statement under one of the photos that the oven is kept "between nine hundred and a thousand degrees, because the pizza’s not supposed to be in the oven for more than five minutes". The other is what appears to be something yellow in the mixer bowl in another photo. Dom once told me that there was no oil in the dough but he did use fresh yeast. However, most fresh yeast I have seen is not as yellow as shown in the mixer bowl. Actually, it is more tan-like in color. Maybe Don is now using a dry yeast and possibly prehydrating it, or maybe he is now using some oil in the dough.

Peter

Peter,

I highly doubt that the oven is kept between 900 hundred and a thousand degrees. My pizzas are only in the oven for about 6 minutes and my temperatures are nowhere near the temperatures mentioned in the article. I also thought it looked like oil in the mixer bowl. I thought how Dom's son mixes the dough was interesting. No recipes, no strict measurements. Dom Jr. said they can stick their hands in there and know when it is right.

My blodgett 1000 ovens are from the late 60's and all original. They are also the equivalent to the bakers bride ovens Dom uses. If I run them at 650 in about 5 minutes I get a pie that looks similar to his non charred photos. 7-8 minutes and the bottoms burn pretty bad and the tops too. Despite all the "mojo" around his ovens and most everything he does, I highly respect a man that could work for as many years as he has doing every pie. I have not been to his place but may go in a couple weeks if I go back to NJ to visit the family over spring break. I just want to experience it in the flesh. Walter

Despite all the "mojo" around his ovens and most everything he does, I highly respect a man that could work for as many years as he has doing every pie.

My comments about his oven temps should not be interpreted as a lack of respect for the man, and I rather enjoyed his pizza when I visited in 2012.

My respect for the people who write articles saying things like "between nine hundred and a thousand degrees, because the pizza’s not supposed to be in the oven for more than five minutes," on the other hand is limited. It reveals their utter ignorance about pizza.

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"We make great pizza, with sourdough when we can, commercial yeast when we must, but always great pizza." Craig's Neapolitan Garage

My comments about his oven temps should not be interpreted as a lack of respect for the man, and I rather enjoyed his pizza when I visited in 2012.

My respect for the people who write articles saying things like "between nine hundred and a thousand degrees, because the pizza’s not supposed to be in the oven for more than five minutes," on the other hand is limited. It reveals their utter ignorance about pizza.

Craig: I hear you on the reporters. I bet his ovens run wide open all day. Part of the NYC/NJ pizza mystique is the commonplace straight faced lies you get from pizzerias on their processes. I grew up with it and understand why they did it. That is cool you made it to his shop. I sure hope I get motivated enough to hit NYC because I have always hated the place on many levels. They alway put NJ down and that irrated the heck out of me. Walter

I love the story and history behind it all as it reminds me of times spent with my elders and hearing their stories of days gone by. However, with the amount of business the place makes, would it kill them to hire a cleaner if they don't feel like doing it? The place looks horrendous.

I love the story and history behind it all as it reminds me of times spent with my elders and hearing their stories of days gone by. However, with the amount of business the place makes, would it kill them to hire a cleaner if they don't feel like doing it? The place looks horrendous.

Anthony

The pictures make it look cleaner than it is; it looks way worse if you are actually in it.

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"We make great pizza, with sourdough when we can, commercial yeast when we must, but always great pizza." Craig's Neapolitan Garage